Musings on food and life from Beth Bader, the co-author of The Cleaner Plate Club. Ingredients: original recipes, food policy insights, parenting fun, and a dash of humor.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Moroccan-inspired Chickpea Stew

I went to lunch a couple weeks ago on a cold, gray day with the last snow still deep on the sidewalks and side streets. We went to restaurant here that was doing locally-sourced ingredients long before it became fashionable. The place had a history of ethical and good food, as well as creative vegetable dishes. However, they have had some ups and downs with the chef having to attend to family issues, so often the food can be hit or miss.

I'm loyal in this regard. I give the place every break I can and have faith this too, shall pass. So, I try to keep going there when I can.

The daily special on the menu was for a chickpea and tomato Moroccan stew. The idea of the stew invoked warm, earthy spices and a hearty, but healthy, and filling meal for one of those gray early spring days where winter seems to keep a firm grip of cold right on your lower back.

When the dish arrived, it was not everything I had hoped for. The chickpeas were undercooked and the dish consisted of just those, tomatoes and plain rice. I paid extra for the roasted chicken on top and was glad I did. I could not detect any hint of spices or the complexity I envisioned.

My lunch companion, someone who knows more about food than I ever will, asked me if it was good. We were the only ones in a very quiet restaurant with the waitress hovering. "It's okay," I said.

In my head, I was rethinking this dish. We left the restaurant with me still craving the warm, earthy stew I had hoped for. No surprise that I made my own version that very weekend.

This is the dish. I used the opportunity to hone my skills with the pressure cooker, the latest kitchen gear I am trying to master. But, you can make this dish without one, just triple the cooking time for the dried chickpeas, lid on, to 1.5 hours. Seriously, triple the time. All the more reason to learn how to use the cooker thing, right?

Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker, lid off. Sweat the onion, carrots, red pepper and garlic for about ten minutes to release flavor. Add the spices, saute for a couple minutes. Then, add the chick peas, tomatoes and juice, cinnamon sticks and the chicken broth. Bring up to a simmer. Then, lock on the pressure cooker lid (following manufacturers directions to avoid any, you know, explosions of vegetables all over). Cook, with a steady, but not forceful steam escaping the top (again, read the manual). Cook for 30 minutes.

This is a good time to prep and make rice. Since I think every element can add to a dish, I used 1 cup of basmati rice, 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and a pinch of saffron. Placing all in a pot, cover, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Should be done in 20 minutes. Just turn off the heat and let rest while you finish the stew.

Remove the pressure cooker from heat and set to natural release. The process will vary a bit with every type of pressure cooker. Basically, when the pressure is released, it's safe to open the pot. When you can do this, add the kale, place the pot unsealed and uncovered over medium low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the cinnamon sticks, and serve over rice, topping with the roast chicken. Feta cheese is another nice garnish here, but the flavor is rich enough with it.

“Besides Nigella Lawson’s “How to Be a Domestic Goddess,” I can’t think of another cookbook that causes me to laugh out loud. From page one, I felt like I was sitting at my table with old friends. This isn’t just a cookbook: it’s an educational arsenal to wield your way with grace and dexterity through the carnival that is the modern American food system…Without increasing my weekly budget, I increased our vegetable consumption at our evening meals by two vegetable dishes a night. It was no longer a battle of eat your veggies,’ but a question of ‘which vegetable would you like to eat tonight?’”

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The Cleaner Plate Club offers simple solutions, recipes, meal suggestions, and tips to help parents get kids to eat good food and -- guess what? -- enjoy it. With humor and compassion, the authors show readers how to prepare real foods, plan ahead and estimate prep time, and get used to cooking food that doesn't come with printed directions. Their fresh advice will help parents eliminate food waste, plan for leftovers, present foods that are appealing to kids, and quit fighting with their children about food. The Cleaner Plate Club offers kid-tested recipes for every meal, basic vegetable preparations for farmers' market finds, and more healthful recipes for sweets and snacks. Readers will also find shopping strategies, the reasons kids like the foods they do, and vegetable profiles (including nutrition information and tips on selection, storage, and preparation). Expert advice and innovative ideas about feeding kids make this book a must-have for any parent. Fresh, funny, and nonjudgmental, The Cleaner Plate Club is a recipe for healthier kids and happier parents.